Seven committees have already investigated Vidarbha farmer suicides. Their similar suggestions have been ignored by the Maharashtra government

An eighth committee has been appointed. Farmer suicides have already crossed 900 this year

Insurance net for farmers, compensation and measures to fight the agrarian crisis were suggested

The state instead announced a relief package of Rs 1,000 crore; the PM's relief fund chipped in with Rs 3,750 crore. But these proved futile.

***

To the distraught family of Kisan Jadhav in Vidarbha's Yavatmal district, Dr Narendra Jadhav's name rings no bell. The former was the 998th farmer to commit suicide in the six crisis districts of Maharashtra, where the incidence of debt-burdened farmers taking their lives touched a macabre new high till October. Last year's figures were 1,520. For Dr Narendra Jadhav, former chief economist of the Reserve Bank of India, presently vice-chancellor of Pune university, the appointment to study the continued incidence of farmers' suicides is a delicate one. He has to explain to Mahrashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh and his government the reasons behind the suicides, despite the simultaneous 18-month implementation of a Rs 1,000-crore relief package of its own, as well as the Rs 3,750 crore prime minister's package. When the packages were at work through 2006, suicide cases surged by 490 to reach the 1,520 high.

If study panels and committees could stop the dance of death in Vidarbha, another one would be welcome. The Deshmukh government has as many as seven committee reports and recommendations going on the subject, including the comprehensive mega-study conducted last year by its own bureaucrat, divisional commissioner S.K. Goel, which was aided by 10,000 field workers. When Dr Jadhav's report is ready in a couple of months, it will be the eighth one in about four years. The phenomenon of farmer suicides as a stark symptom of the deeper agrarian crises in Vidarbha has only worsened in this time.

"This Congress-NCP government is only buying time with another study panel," remarks bjp's Nitin Gadkari, leader of opposition in the state legislature. Nagpur-based activist Kishor Tiwari of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) asks, "What's the use of setting up more committees when the state government is not even half serious about implementing any of the earlier recommendations? What's the point if the government is blind to the agrarian crisis itself." The VJAS has collected detailed records of farmers' suicides in Vidarbha since 2001. The likes of Tiwari may be forgiven their cynicism, such informally maintained data may be scoffed at, but the trends are confirmed by scientific studies. "Doesn't the CM know enough and more about the subject? Why doesn't he do something?" Tiwari asks.

An impressive list of institutions have examined the issue in depth and submitted reports since 2004. The Bombay High Court first asked for a substantive and scientific report in response to a pil and selected the venerable Tata Institute of Social Sciences for the task. The tiss report of 2005 listed causes of suicides: repeated crop failure, inability to meet the rising cost of cultivation, continuing indebtedness resulting from flawed agrarian and credit policies and emphasised that suicide was an extreme step. The report recommended compensation to affected families, an insurance net for farmers, an information system because small and marginal farmers used hybrid and Bt cotton seeds without understanding the higher input costs, and a overhaul of the Centre's agrarian policy.

The other committees marginally differed on such points as the computation of ground-level data on numbers of suicides, but stayed the course on two important fronts.

Firstly, they arrived at largely identical causes for farmers' suicides and agreed on Vidarbha's dismal ground scenario. They also concluded that both the state and central governments must intervene with short-term and long-term measures to rehabilitate not only the affected families but the agrarian community. As many of them pointed out, suicides are invariably linked to cash crop―cotton and soyabean―price volatility in the international market, which put Indian farmers at a disadvantage, because nations like the US heavily subsidised its cotton growers.

The comprehensive Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR) study report was submitted to the Deshmukh government in June 2006. In between, the National Commission on Farmers, chaired by India's foremost agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan, examined the issue in 2005 in the same six crisis-ridden Vidarbha districts and arrived at the same conclusions. Its recommendations should have been shown some respect. Instead, the state government set up four sub-committees to see how they could be implemented. That process is still underway. Also in 2006, a report from a Planning Commission study panel drew similar conclusions and made nearly the same suggestions.

Meanwhile, the CM and PM's relief packages were announced, but couldn't stem the flow of suicides. Perhaps to blunt the criticism, the government asked its Pune-based social and development studies and training institute yashada to present a report. Understandably, the report sought to soften the issue, but even so, the study team reached similar conclusions as the earlier ones. It's recommendations too went into the cold storage. Simultaneously, the Pune-based Gokhale Institute of Development Studies was pressed into service. It's findings did not differ from the tiss or the IGIDR reports.

The study by Goel is perhaps the most comprehensive. It examined over 17.5 lakh families in 8,500 villages of the six affected districts employing over 10,000 field workers. The conclusions: more than a fourth (nearly two million people) were "under maximum distress" and three-quarters of the rest were "under medium distress". The paper also confirms indebtedness as a factor in 93 per cent of farm suicides. Goel has since been transferred.

Into this minefield now walks Dr Jadhav. "I won't repeat any of the earlier work. My focus is to study why the suicides continue in spite of the two relief packages, evaluate them and make recommendations. It will be a historic study," he says. The six sets of people he wants to consult―bureaucrats, experts, planning commission officials, bankers, ngos and political organisations in Vidarbha―does not include the impoverished and indebted farmers. Even so, his recommendations may occupy yet another shelf in the CM's office.

On diwali day debt trapped cotton farmer Maroti Ramji Gedam tribal consumed pesticide in remote village tumup under parwa police station of yavatmal district and his dead body awaiting the post mortem at the govt. hospital arni along with five more distressed farmers committed suicide in last 48 hours in on going vidarbha agrarian crisis when rest of India was celebrating "diwali" coincidentally the official figure of west vidarbha farm suicides crossed 1000 mark and this is second year in succession when official farm suicides has crossed 1000 mark as last year 1662 farmers suicides reported by maharashgtra Govt.,kishor tiwari of vidarbha jan andolan samiti informed today on second day of diwali.

SIX recent victims of vidarbha agrarian crisis are

1.EKNATH NAMDEO KADU IN AMARAVATI

2.ASHOK MAHADEV DEWAI IN CHNADRAPUR

3.BABULAL JAYRAM RATHODE IN YAVATMAL

4.ANAND PANDURANG KEDAR IN YAVATMAL

5.VASANT BHIKAJI UMARE IN YAVATMAL

6.MAROTI RAMJI GEDAM IN YAVATMAL

taking the figure of farm suicides of year 2007 in vidarbha in six district has crossed 1000 mark that's 1014,here is official vidarbha farm suicides table

Months-2006

Farm suicides

Months-2007

Farm suicides

july

109

January

99

August

120

February

107

september

156

march

113

october

160

april

97

november

125

may

102

december

127

june

82

july

75

august

95

September

113

october

102

novermber

26

total

797

1014

VJAS urged civl societies save vidarbha dying farmers

After union agriculture minister sharad pawar has moved complete loan waiver as part of distress relieving measure of million of dying vidarbha farmers and Maharashtra chief minister vilasrao deshmukh has also made it clear that they are no objection letter to central govt. for complete loan waiver to vidarbha cotton farmers ,but in reality nothing is happening as urgent life saving iad is also not reaching dying vidarbha farmers when daily three to four farm suicides are being reported since june-2005. VJAS urged all national and international communities and civil societies to come forward to help million of dying vidarbha farmers as per govt. own suvey around 2million farming community members are in deep distress and needs urgent healing touch ,kishor tiwari added.

VJAS has been demanding along with loan waiver and restoration of raw cotton price ,food security ,health care and rural employment package but prime minister's rs.3750 crore relief package is till missing the same. Govt. has been promoting non-chemical farming on paper but practically they are official agents of US seed MNC Monsanto and promoting Bt. cotton through it's seed cooperation 'MAHABEEZ', Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti informed in a press release "if Govt. is serious to save vidarbha dying farmers then they should act fast kishor tiwari added. reacting on the on going delay in state decision to give relief to more than 3 million dying farmers of vidarbha.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

With successive crop failure, increasing debts and no aid from the government,

farmers in Gujarat state are going the Vidarbha way.

Ramesh Bhai Mangalpura, a 45-year-old farmer of Sarabgardad village in Rajkot district killed himself in August last year.

In 2004 floods destroyed his crops. In 2005 Ramesh lost his groundnuts due to lack of rain. And in 2006 fungal infection wiped out any hope of a good harvest.

After an investment of over Rs 55,000 in fertilisers, pesticides and irrigation, Ramesh yielded nothing.

"His heart sank when he saw black fungal infected flowers on Jeeru shrubs. He said: 'All my hard work has gone down the drain, what I will do now, who will give me a fresh loan?" says Prabha Bhen, 40-year-old widow of Ramesh.

"One night he refused to have his meal, the next morning he committed suicide."

Every year farmers have to repay bank debts in March, or they are denied new loans. Plus, rates of interest on previous loans go up.

Ramesh had taken loans from his relatives, the local self-help group and the government bank. He had defaulted on payments and felt he needed money for his daughter's marriage.

Ramesh owned a small plot of 2.5 acres and had rented another 4 acres for Rs 20,000 to try to meet the family's basic needs. But produce from all his land was almost zilch.

Seeing no way out Ramesh Bhai Mangalpura consumed pesticide.

Tough times

Farmer suicides are a growing crisis in Gujarat.

For three consecutive years farmers say they have been battling not only natural disasters but also state apathy to their plight.

"The authorities release waters from dams every year, and that leads to floods. Cost of seeds, fertilisers, irrigation and labour have gone up while subsidies are being cut. And we do not get due rates for our yield," says Partibhaben whose husband had also committed suicide in 2006.

Occupation of loss

Farmers are finding it difficult to survive on agriculture.

Their woes are captured well in the local idiom which says, "kheti etley khotno dhandho (farming is an occupation of loss)."

Farmers taking own lives

Reasons ranging from financial debts and failed crop to illness and jilted relationships have been cited by the state Director General of Police (DGP).

Local activist Bharatsinh Jhala has used the Right to Information (RTI) Act to get details from the state police on farmers' suicides and deaths and also compensation from the state agriculture department. Jhala is part of an ActionAid fellowship scheme for emerging community leaders tackling poverty.

"I am myself a farmer. Farmer suicides are an emotional issue for me. A suicide committed by a farmer in a neighbouring village touched me to the core," says Jhala.

It was then he decided to invoke the RTI. "I wanted to bring out the contrast between the state government's claims of a 'Vibrant Gujarat' and the actual situation of its farmers."

According to the agriculture department, compensation has been given to 1,909 families. That means 4,146 families have not been compensated for their loss, says Jhala.

Newspaper reports say that over half of the 6,055 claims for compensation have been rejected.

According to Jhala, only 20 per cent of the claims have been honoured. "The state government has been paying a premium for farmers' insurance, but one wonders why only a few claimants receive payouts,'' he adds.

Rightfully ours

Activists and widows of deceased farmers recently met with National Human Rights Commission chairman S Rajendra Babu, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and officials at the Planning Commission and Prime Minister's Office to press for immediate assistance to debt-ridden families.

"We are asking the government to provide compensation for losses over the last three years, which have driven families to desperation," adds Pratibhaben.

Government also needs to support farmers in restoring land affected by floods.

Farmers are also calling for government to immediately waiver outstanding loans.

Four more distressed farmers committed suicide in last 48 hours in on going vidarbha agrarian crisis andin last two months more than 50 farm suicides have been reported from paddy growing region of east vidarbha and official farm suicide figure has crossed once again 100 mark in October showing the sign of increasing distress in farming community .now it has been official that Maharashtra state has reported highest numbers of farm suicides in last three years more over vidarbha region has reported maximum farm suicides has already crossed 10,000 mark in last decade.

four recent victims of vidarbha agrarian crisis are

1.SANGPAL DOLE OF PACHOL IN WARDHA

2.PRAKASH MORE OF TAKLI IN BULDHANA

3.SURESH BHADKE OF SAONER IN AMARAVATI

4.MANSARAM GOVINDI OF SONALA IN CHANDRAPUR

taking the figure of farm suicides of year 2007 in vidarbhain six districtis reaching 1000 mark that’s 998,here is official vidarbha farm suicides table

Months-2006

Farm suicides

Months-2007

Farm suicides

july

109

January

99

August

120

February

107

september

156

march

113

october

160

april

97

november

125

may

102

december

127

june

82

july

75

august

95

September

113

october

102

novermber

10

total

797

998

VJAS URGED UPA CHIEF SMT. SONIA GANDHI TO SAVE VIDARBHA FARMERS

After union agriculture minister sharad pawar has moved complete loan waiver as part of distress relieving measure of million of dying vidarbha farmers and Maharashtra chief minister vilasrao deshmukh has also made it clear that they are no objection letter to central govt. for complete loan waiver to vidarbha cotton farmers ,in this change circumstances VJAShas urged UPA convener smt.Sonia Gandhi to urgent life saving measures as daily three to four farm suicides are being reported since june-2005. Maharashtra Govt. has already taken the decision in principle to give Rs.1500 per hector to maximum to five hector relief aid to all cotton growers but this aid is also pending due financial nod too.

VJAS has been demanding along with loan waiver and restoration of raw cotton price ,food security ,health care and rural employment package but prime minister’srs.3750 crore relief package is till missing the same. Govt. has been promoting non-chemical farming on paper but practically they are official agents of US seed MNC Monsanto and promoting Bt. cotton through it’s seed cooperation ‘MAHABEEZ’, Kishor Tiwariof Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti informed in a press release“if Govt. is serious to save vidarbha dying farmers then they should act fast kishor tiwari added.reacting on the on going delay in state decision to give relief to more than 3 million dying farmers of vidarbha.

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Friday, November 2, 2007

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10 more farmers commit suicide3 Nov 2007, 0335 hrs IST, TNN

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NAGPUR: Even as the DF government celebrated its third anniversary of assuming power, 10 more farmers from Vidarbha committed suicide in the last 48 hours, the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, which has been documenting the region's agrarian crisis along with farmers' suicides, has claimed.

Criticising the rosy picture presented by chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh about the success of a special package meant to bail out distressed farmers of Vidarbha, VJAS convener Kishore Tiwari has alleged that the reality was quite the contrary.

The VJAS has claimed that the figure of farmer suicides in 2007 in Vidarbha's in six suicide-hit districts has reached 988.

Tiwari also alleged that the delay on the government's part for complete loan waiver for the farmers―as proposed by Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar―was driving distressed farmers to end their lives.

On its part, the Maharashtra government has in principle agreed to give Rs 1,500 per hectare to maximum to five hectare relief to all cotton growers, yet there has been a delay in executing the decision, Tiwari alleged.

"If the government is serious about saving Vidarbha's farmers, then it should act fast," Tiwari said while reacting to the appointment of another probe panel on Vidarbha's farmer suicides.

"Loan waiver is a part of the relief but not a complete solution to Vidarbha's agrarian crisis. Issues related to the cotton price and sustainable farming along with Food Crop Promotion Programme have to be implemented," Tiwari added.